The term is "grahpic novel", Jube. There are also the three comics that are collected in the graphic novel. These are probably my favorite collectibles and the ones I'd be least inclined to part with, as they cross over nicely into my comic geekness. (Yes, I have the three comics, plus the graphic novel. I do not, however, have the comic version of "Smallest Dragonboy." Which irks the completist in me.)

My book club first edition hardcover of Crystal Singer. It is how my husband introduced me to Anne McCaffrey. Otherwise I would say DragonHolder the life and dreams so far. I can think of noone to more better to write a biography than her own son.

My favorite is my Crystal Singer Paberbacks They are all 1st edition and Crystal Singer was my first reading of Anne. I was in high school at the time and remember thinking " If only Killashandra was real." as I fell in love with the character.

Location: A cozy house in the dales of Debyshire, in little old England

Gender: M
Fan of: The Pern Saga

Now Reading: No time to read, am writing!

Re: Favorite item in your collection?

I guess mine is my hardback (bantam edition) copy of All The Weyrs of Pern. It was the first Pern book I got on the day it came out, and the first one I read from cover to cover without stopping for trivial things like eating, sleeping etc etc. I remember reading it with such awe and admiration, and enjoyment (of course). I lent it to my brother many years ago, and he lost it. Few years later it was found again (still in mint condition, so much for me accusing him of not looking after it).Always brings back nice memories when I see it on the shelf.

"J", Glad to hear that it was found again...and safely back on your shelf...Good to see you posting again, the old place just isn't the same without you...

__________________
"To the Horsehead Nebula and back we shall make beautiful music"..."Together!"

The stories of childhood leave an indelible impression,and their author always has a niche in the temple of memory from which the image is never cut out to be thrown on the rubbish heap of things that are outgrown and outlived........Howard Pyle

Peter, You are a tickle...for such a wise ole sage!!! I see that they didn't take out your sense of humor along with your stonesOUCH

__________________
"To the Horsehead Nebula and back we shall make beautiful music"..."Together!"

The stories of childhood leave an indelible impression,and their author always has a niche in the temple of memory from which the image is never cut out to be thrown on the rubbish heap of things that are outgrown and outlived........Howard Pyle

Hmm...I've got many books in my Pern collection that are special to me for one reason or another - some were lucky cheap finds at junk shops or online, some were books that I really liked and tracked down, some were bought for me as presents, and I've mentioned elsewhere the autographed "Dragonsinger" that I found for 50c - but I think my most prized book would be my paperback binding of "The White Dragon" with the Les Edwards cover.

The reason why lies back in the time when I first started reading the Pern series; I'd just finished rereading "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher", which concerns a bond between a boy and a dragon. I decided I rather liked the concept, and began searching for more books, and in a freak coincidence, I found that my dad had bought me the Dragonflight graphic novel at a book sale. The graphic novel doesn't really do a great job of explaining things (It took me a while to realise that the blue text with [/] at either end was telepathic, and I had no idea what the hell was going on by the time I reached the mating flight) so I wasn't hooked, but I decided to give the other books a go, and so I went to my local library and checked out a few; including Dragonsong, Dragonsinger & The White Dragon, and spent the afternoon reading them on my deck.

I read Dragonsong and Dragonsinger and rather liked them, but I really got into the series when I read The White Dragon. Ruth was an amazing character, and I loved the bond between him and Jaxom. I made plans to buy the book (along with the other ones; at the same time reserving them from the library), and later obtained it as part of a bulk buy, but it wasn't the cover I had hoped for - it was the weird one where Ruth is covered with dangly bits and looks like he's missing his jaw.

A few years later though, I was browsing through my school library, and I noticed that their Pern books were missing. I knew they occasionally sold them, and so I went and asked, and it turned out that the exact edition I was looking for was amonst the books being axed, and so they let me buy it for a dollar!

I have rambled on a fair bit, but that cover takes me back to the day when I sat on my deck in the setting sun, and first read through those three library books; Dragonsong, Dragonsinger & The White Dragon.

(I'm actually glad that my copy is an ex-library book! Some of my Pern books were bought new, and I'm so scared that I'll crease them when I read them and marr them! No need to worry with the second hand ones though! It's silly, I know, but still...)

Same here Bruce, mine was gifted to me by Anne herself, and signed. It is one of her non lettered or numbered copies (think she had 3, one of which was dedicated to Todd but was found by me in her office). Actually, when she gave me my copy the one with the dedication was the only one left and I asked her three times if she was sure and if she knew what these things sold for on eBay. She smiled and said she knew damn well what is was worth, that she was very sure and would not take no for an answer...

I know I said something else at the beginning of this thread but at that time I wasn't ready yet to tell this tidbit as Anne was still very much alive at the time.

__________________Hans, also known as Elrhan, Master Archivist

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Wow Hans! What a wonderful gift from Anne. I got my second copy of A Time When at last year's Worldcon. It is a cleaner copy than my first one.I traded some signed Frank Herbert books for it. I had met Frank in '78 at a bookstore in Lubbock,Tx.,while attending college. We worked out a even trade, with both parties happy. I love the fact that there are signed copies as well as what would become The White Dragon.

I've read the first 3 Dune book, but never could go any further. Of course, our taste change as life goes by. Besides Anne's work I read and like many other author's work as well. Too many books, so little time.